Martin Rossiter - Defenestration of St Martin Review (Britpop)

Martin Rossiter, former front man for 90's Britpop group, Gene, has just released his first solo album since Gene's breakup in 2004. Martin has not been entirely out of the music scene in these last eight years, but this certainly is the strongest sign that he is back and in full form. "The Defenestration of St. Martin" is, at least in this listener's ear, a total triumph, an instant classic, and a record that fans will be able to turn to again and again over the years without ever growing tired.

Martin returns to his intensely introspective lyrical style that is positively gripping, heart wrenching, and racked with pain.

Gavin DeGraw - Sweeter Review (Pop/Rock)

Gavin DeGraw makes it to his fourth album. pretty much covering the same turf as his first three. He's still milking the same blue-eyed soul turf that has made stars out of Jason Mraz currently and Daryl Hall decades before. What differentiates "Sweeter" from his other CD's is that he decided to allow co-writers on-board for the first time. On of them, Ryan Tedder, has been all but certified as the current Midas Touch-man, ala Mick Ronson. Tedder is also the producer of those two songs, emphasizing the piano and making the title song sound tougher than it really is. Andrew Frampton also produces/cowrites a pair, "Run Every Time" and the closer, "Spell It Out."